A team of firefighters from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are taking on the Ilkley Half Marathon – some in full fire kit and BA – in memory of two of their colleagues and friends.
The group of 10, the majority of whom are stationed at Ilkley Fire Station, will be running in aid of us having seen the support we offer first-hand and knowing we could be there for them or their families in the future.
The fundraiser is close to their hearts, as it’s in memory of firefighter Darren Abrams, who sadly passed away while on duty in November 2022, and Paddy McCarney, who passed away in May 2023 – just a few years after he’d retired from the fire service.
Crew Commander Jamie Thompson, who is a paramedic alongside his on-call firefighter role at Ilkley, is taking part and says: “There’s 10 of us, seven of them from Ilkley Fire Station, one who’s retired, a Station Commander and one from nearby Otley.
“We’ve done a fair bit of training and we’re feeling good about the run – there’s something in there that’s keeping us going.
“I’ve personally had support from the Charity before, for my mental health. I had the support remotely and it really helped me at the time.”
Jamie worked with Paddy at Ilkley for years, before Paddy’s retirement in 2015. Meanwhile, he’d met Darren in passing. Tragically, it was Jamie who was first in attendance, however, when Darren collapsed on station last year.
“My team of paramedics all knew Darren and his colleagues at the station, it’s a call you never want to get when it’s someone you know and I needed some time afterwards to process it,” says Jamie. “This run is very special to all of us.”
The Ilkley Half Marathon takes place on Sunday, 16 July. To support the team’s fundraiser, click here:
